SC Collegium not necessarily `playing straight`: HC Judge

Bangalore: Senior Karnataka High Court Judge DV Shylendra Kumar, known for his outspoken views on judiciary, took a fresh swipe at the Supreme Court Collegium saying it was not necessarily "playing straight."

Observing there were "dark spots and dimly lit" areas in judiciary, Justice Kumar in his latest outburst slammed the Collegium and High Courts for their "masked manner" of
functioning. The Collegium is a panel of five senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.

The judge posting his views on his website said the Collegium was "not necessarily playing straight or in consonance with the accepted moral standards."

Justice Kumar shot into limelight early last year after he took on the then Supreme Court Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan on the issue of Judges making their assets
public.

Noting the "dark spots and dimly lit" areas in the judiciary was nothing but "aberrations" of the times, he said the Judiciary would definitely weather these hiccups and "shed
its black sheep".

The observations made by the judge at a function in
Mangalore recently formed the basis for his views on his
website.

"It is no doubt that there are dark spots and dimly lit
areas in the judiciary and as of now, there may be a case of
Justice Dinakaran in the South, Justice Nirmal Yadav in the
North and Justice Soumitra Sen in the East and also the masked
manner of functioning of the Collegium of Supreme Court and
the High Courts...," he said.

"...I am of the view that these are all nothing but
aberrations of the times and the institution of judiciary will
definitely weather these hiccups, shed its black sheep and
emerge clear and virtuous in the long run", he said.

Justice Shylendra Kumar had raised the issue of judges
making their assets public in a big way and voluntarily put
details about his assets on his website in August last year.

The judge had earlier targeted the Collegium questioning
its manner of functioning and accused it of being "secretive"
in selection of judges and "blissfully remaining insensitive
to public opinion. "

He had also consistently attacked Karnataka High Court
Chief Justice PD Dinakaran, against whom impeachment
proceedings are pending in Rajya Sabha, over his continuing to
discharge administrative functions while being away from the
Bench following the land grab charges against him.